By Oliver Morrison. Image: Getty/wildpixel.
As yet untapped RNA-based technology is set to make upthe next generation of tools to accelerate plant breeding andprotection says new UK-based spin-out TraitSeq.
A great deal of AI is being targeted at robotics and precision ag atfarm level. But significantly less is aimed at accelerated delivery ofthe innovations (genetics, inputs) that farmers need to tackle climate change and deliver sustainableagriculture.
So says new company TraitSeq – the first spin-out from UK-based genomics research centre the EarlhamInstitute. It is using proprietary cutting-edge AI and transcriptomic expertise (RNA, rather than DNA) toaccurately predict complex trait and chemical/biological performance on crop plants in the field andaccelerate animal breeding.
It hopes its first-mover status will allow it to successfully transform the agricultural sector by using AI andbiomarkers to revolutionise plant and animal breeding, as well as the development of inputs such asagrochemicals, biostimulants, biologicals, and plant nutrients.
TraitSeq was co-founded by CEO Dr Joshua Colmer; Professor Anthony Hall, head of plant genomics at theEarlham Institute; and seasoned agritech business leader John Bloomer – formerly at ICI, Zeneca andSyngenta. They were subsequently joined as co-founders by agri-tech start-up specialist Dr Felicity Knowles, and bioinformaticians Dr Vignesh Dhandapani and Benedict Coombes.
According to Bloomer, plant breeders “have harnessed DNA based tools, for example molecular markers, toaccelerate plant breeding. But if the genes do not express in the field, the trait does not appear in thephenotype – genes interact with the environment. RNA-based tools are the next generation, that helppredict field performance, taking into account the agro-environment such as soil and weather.”
RNA’s white space opportunity
TraitSeq describes itself as a low-cost, high-throughput, platform technology that uses bespoke machinelearning methods to identify biomarkers that are utilised for training predictive models for complex traits inagriculture. TraitSeq’s trait prediction models achieve beyond state-of-the-art levels of accuracy and canincorporate environmental variation – enabling highly accurate trait performance predictions in the field.
TraitSeq hopes to lead the industry in uniquely combining AI and transcriptomic expertise to provideaccurate and robust RNA-based biomarkers for complex genetic traits – such as drought tolerance,tolerance to stress, improved taste, and nutrient use, in plants – and novel inputs that interact with plant genetics.
This informs the accelerated development and enhancement of these desirable traits, paving the way for the creation of higher-yielding, climate-resilient crops, and novel agricultural inputs.
These traits and inputs are enormously beneficial to farmers but are notoriously difficult and time-consuming to develop using conventional practices from the early leads seen in the laboratory andglasshouse into products that work in the field.
TraitSeq claims to offer three main benefits to those in the agritech sector who develop new hybrids and varieties and animal breeds with valuable traits, as well as novel inputs such as biostimulants, biologicals, andcrop protection products:
1. Acceleration their product development, bringing innovative new products to market faster.
2. Improvement their R&D success rate through more accurate prediction.
3. Reshaping of their product development funnel, allowing a greater diversity of candidates to enter at thestart while also enabling rapid and accurate selection of the ones that will work in the field.
The company says the cutting-edge approach can be applied not only in plant breeding and agriculturalinput development but also in livestock breeding – offering a comprehensive solution to key challenges inagriculture and food production. These advancements are pivotal for the sector, with the potential tobenefit global food security, underpin more sustainable agricultural practices, and help tackle climate change.
“What excites me is TraitSeq’s ability to accurately predict field performance of new agritech products whilethey are still at a very early stage in the glasshouse,” said Bloomer.
“This will accelerate our customers’ product development process and improve their R&D success rate,bringing new products to the market faster and at lower cost.
“And as climate change provides increasing challenges for farmers worldwide, we need to provide themwith innovative new tools to help them grow crops sustainably.”
Joshua Colmer, CEO and co-founder, added: “TraitSeq has the potential to be transformational, and not justfor crop improvement, but for a range of applications that we’re excited to be exploring.
“We are the first company to offer this approach to customers in the agritech sector: we are first movers inthis field.
“I’m confident TraitSeq will hugely benefit the sector –whether that’s guiding breeding programmes,identifying gene editing targets, or accelerating crop input development.”
Professor Anthony Hall added: “There are many complex traits in plants that breeders would love to be ableto select for. But, until now, the tools simply haven’t existed to do this reliably.
“And the early-stage evaluation of gene edits could significantly improve the efficiency and speed ofvalidation, while also reducing cost.”
TraitSeq has just been awarded, along with biologicals start-up PfBIO, an Innovate UK Launchpad grantthat will help it with the next stages of development.
The company has already seen some notable successes; securing funding from Anglia InnovationPartnership and Innovate UK for pilot projects with industry, attracting significant commercial interest atboth the 2023 World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in London and the 2023 European Seeds AssociationCongress in Malta, and winning the latest Innovation Hothouse competition hosted by the NorwichResearch Park, UEA, and the Royal Society.
Dr Liliya Serazetdinova, head of business development and impact at the Earlham Institute, said: “TraitSeq is a great example of how we’re translating our cutting-edge science into real-world applications which will have an impact on agriculture and other sectors.”
Bloomer concluded: “As someone with over 30 years as a leader in the agritech industry (with ICI, Zeneca,Syngenta and now as an independent), the potential of TraitSeq excites me.